How one church connected an entire congregation through small groups.
Allen White
"Connect 100 percent of your congregation into small groups."
Now that's a sales pitch.
Our church was stuck: A small number of our adults—only 30 percent—were involved in small groups. After seven long years of slugging it out the old fashioned way—raising up apprentices to birth new groups—we were headed nowhere. Only one leader started a new group. Connecting everyone in a group ...
An email small group can be a great solution for those too busy for another meeting.
by Marilyn A. Yocum
Note: This article has been excerpted from the SmallGroups.com training tool called Growing Small Groups.
My ideal small group would have included three good friends: Lynn, Margaret, and Susan. But I figured it could never happen. They were all busy people. We saw each other in church on Sunday and exchanged e-mail through the week, but the last thing any of us needed was another weekly meeting to ...
Identifying the key roles in your group ensures its long-term health.
by Life Together
As a leader, you're the champion for fulfilling the purposes of your group. It's critical, then, that you fully understand each member's role ahead of time. That will simplify figuring out who should be in them after your group kicks off. Below are several "job descriptions" of key roles in the group. You'll need to identify who can fill these roles—and then recruit members in your group for ...
Follow these six steps to help your leaders grow spiritually.
by Brett Eastman
When my daughter Michelle was diagnosed with a form of cerebral palsy, we thought she'd never walk. But one day she started getting up on her haunches and crawling. The next minute, she was pulling herself up on furniture and trying to walk, but she didn't look like she would ever stand sturdy on her legs. After we put her in a little walker that allowed her to cruise around the house, she went from ...
A free resource to boost the connections within your church family
Lyle Schaller, Henri Nouwen, Steve Matthewson, and others
Fellowship is more than coffee talk between worship and Sunday school, but how can we move beyond small talk to help relationships become more authentic? This theme covers communication basics such as how to respect others in speech, and tackles harder topics such as promoting confession and why we resist honesty with others.
Successfully leading a small group is a difficult task all by itself. But that task can become nearly impossible when your group contains one or more challenging personalities—people who talk too little or too much, people with emotional problems, people who promote false theology, and so on. ...
These trusted leaders can help your ministry move to the next level.
by Russ Robinson, Randall Neighbor, Patrick Morley, and others
Note: Click E-Groups to see a free article from this resource.
Discover the transforming power of small groups. Whether you are starting a new small groups ministry in your church or revitalizing an existing one, this theme offers you many valuable tools. An interview with Russ Robinson, pastor of Meadowbrook Church in New Jersey and former Director of Small Groups at Willow Creek Community Church, ...
Small group ministry facilitates true Christian community. But are your groups focused and helping to grow the church? Whether you're just beginning small group ministry or considering retooling your current groups, this theme provides key discussions on purpose, outreach, and community building. Included are several assessment ...
How to learn the deep "one another" community described in Scripture
Howard A. Snyder
Community in the New Testament sense of koinonia assumes and requires face-to-face communication, whether in a horse-and-buggy age or an Internet age. Three things marked New Testament Christian community: It was centered in Jesus Christ (believers met together as Jesus' followers, constituting his body); this fellowship was a gift of the Holy Spirit; and the community was missional. That is, the ...
Why church members often run from community despite their attraction to it
Thomas G. Kirkpatrick
In a book called The Different Drum, M. Scott Peck suggests that while we want intimacy, we often run from it. Perplexing, isn't it? We want to be honest and open, but we are not willing to risk being ourselves in a group of sisters and brothers.
As an example, let's say that Greg is upset over his teenager's recent experimentation with smoking pot. He wants help to sort out his feelings but is reluctant ...
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